The Falla family's coffee legacy in Guatemala dates back to 1890 when they began cultivating coffee in the Antigua valley. In 1962, Arturo Falla Cofiño, a third-generation family member, purchased a new farm named "El Tempixque." Arturo was not only passionate about coffee but also an innovator, introducing shade-grown practices using Grevillea and Macadamia trees.
Estuardo Falla, Arturo's fourth brother, inherited the family's coffee tradition after Arturo's passing in 1992. Estuardo was business-minded and established a wet and dry mill at El Tempixque to enhance coffee quality and serve other producers in the region. Estuardo focused on growing bourbon and caturra varieties, maintaining the Genuine Antigua cup profile, and building a professional team to ensure consistent production and quality.
In 2017, Estuardo’s son, Sebastian, and his cousin, Adrian, joined the team to prepare for a generational transition. Together, they initiated projects such as a micro-mill for special process micro-lots. They also founded the Arturo Falla Cofiño Association, providing education, healthcare, and benefits to farm employees and hundreds of small producers in Antigua, showcasing their commitment to both coffee excellence and community welfare.
The Falla Family produce very few naturally processed coffees, and we were very lucky to be visiting at the right time this year to pick up one of them.
